Update on the search for Brittney Landsverk

I got an email from someone saying that the Rice County Sheriff’s Dept had issued a request for certified search and rescue volunteers to help find Brittney Landsverk who’s been missing since last Friday (Nfld News story here).  I wrote to Sheriff Richard Cook to verify this and he emailed me back:

Sheriff Richard Cook Not true.  We have plenty of resources we haven’t tapped into yet.  We are doing this in a coordinated and methodical manner eliminating one stretch of the river at a time while doing daily patrols up and downstream as far as Northfield in case something comes up.   Here is the latest press release.  I will add you to the list.

Press Release

A team of rescue personnel conducted a detailed, tedious search probing the river bottom and debris 300-400 yards downstream from the scene of the vehicle overturn.  Sheriff’s Office and Department of Natural Resource boats patrolled several miles downstream in the event the body of Brittney Landsverk had slipped past that most critical area.  Water needed to be released from the King Mill dam Monday evening adding additional current to the 50 degree water.  The rain did not hamper the search of dampen the spirit of the rescue personnel.  Additional detailed searching will be continued and expanded tomorrow.

We have had a very generous response of assistance in the search by friends and concerned community members and this is much appreciated.  At this time we have adequate personnel and will utilize those trained rescue personnel.  We would discourage civilians from attempting to search near the river bank, in the water or by boat and ask that other than immediate family members stay out of the incident operations.

If people want to help support the family a memorial scholarship fund has been established at the State Bank of Faribault in Brittney’s name and donations can be directed to:

Brittney Landsverk Memorial Fund
c/o The State Bank of Faribault
428 Central Avenue
Faribault, Minnesota 55021

Rice County Sheriff
Richard Cook
Direct 507-332-6012
Toll-free 866-727-5299

4 Comments

  1. Griff Wigley said:

    We got an anonymous email today on this case. I called Sheriff Cook to check on it. It’s not true. The rumor (which I’m choosing to not repeat) has been circulating online for a few weeks, he said.

    The search continues.

    May 21, 2010
  2. Jane Moline said:

    I hope her family and friends can bear this terrible wait. I think of her every day. (We live on the river and it is a constant reminder now of this terrible loss of a young person.) Please, everybody, do not engage in speculation or gossip. This is hard enough for the family.

    May 21, 2010
  3. Griff Wigley said:

    Posted to Nfld News this morning: Body found in Cannon River

    News Release of the Rice County Sheriff

    Rice County Sheriff Deputies and Faribault Fire and Rescue with assistance from the Minnesota State Patrol recovered an adult female body from the Cannon River Sunday June 27 around 7:30 a.m.

    Authorities had been notified of a suspicious sighting in some debris at 6:37 by an individual on their way to work in Faribault. The body was fully clothed and relatively intact.

    The location of the recovery was .9 miles or 1600 yards downstream from the site of the April 2, 2010 incident where a vehicle with four youth had driven into the river and all but one, Brittney Landsverk, were recovered and survived.

    It is believed by officials that the recent thunderstorm and heavy rain may have dislodged the body.

    The body will be examined at the Ramsey County Medical Center where a positive identification and autopsy will take place.

    Further details will be released as they are made available.

    June 27, 2010
  4. Kathie Galotti said:

    My heart just goes out to the parents. I cannot imagine a bigger loss or heartache than to lose a child.

    June 27, 2010

Leave a Reply